Keywords
1. Childhood metabolic biomarkers
2. Cognitive function in children
3. Insulin resistance and cognition
4. Early childhood health
5. NIH Toolbox cognition battery
In a remarkable study published in “The Journal of Pediatrics,” researchers have explored the correlation between metabolic biomarkers and cognitive performance in young children. This study opens up the profound insight that early metabolic health can affect cognitive abilities such as inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility, further contributing to the discourse on childhood health and development.
Background and Hypothesis
Childhood is a pivotal stage for cognitive and metabolic health development. Increases in cases of childhood obesity and metabolic syndrome have accentuated concerns regarding their potential impact on cognitive functions. In the study conducted by Shapiro et al. (2019), the hypothesis put forth was that metabolic measures, particularly fasting glucose, insulin, and HOMA-IR levels, have an inverse association with performance on cognitive tasks in children aged 4 to 6 years.
Study Design and Participants
The study drew upon data from the Healthy Start study, a pre-birth cohort from Colorado, to test the hypothesis. Fasting glucose, insulin levels and HOMA-IR (Homeostatic Model of Assessment for Insulin Resistance) were assessed for their relation to cognitive functions. The study sample included 137 typically developing, healthy children who were on average 4.6 years old.
Methodology
Metabolic assessments involved scaled measures of biomarkers using the study sample means and standard deviations. Cognitive performance was evaluated using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Toolbox cognition battery, which included tasks for inhibitory control (Flanker task), cognitive flexibility (Dimensional Change Card Sort test), and receptive language (Picture Vocabulary test).
Results and Findings
The results were telling in that per 1-standard deviation unit increase in fasting glucose, insulin, and HOMA-IR values, there were significant negative correlations with inhibitory control. Specifically, fasting glucose showed a strong inverse association with cognitive flexibility, and this was significant even after full corrections were made for T scores – a means of standardizing measures across different tests.
Implications of the Study
Given these results, there is robust evidence to suggest that metabolic health plays an influential role in fluid cognitive functions, even in very young children. The findings hint at a potential impact of metabolic health on executive functions—an umbrella term for cognitive processes that manage, control, and regulate other cognitive processes.
DOI and References
The study in question can be accessed through the DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2019.03.043.
Below are five important references from peer-reviewed journals that echo the significance of the correlation between metabolic health and cognitive function, and which were cited in the publication:
1. Bokura, H., Nagai, A., Oguro, H., Kobayashi, S., & Yamaguchi, S. (2010). The association of metabolic syndrome with executive dysfunction independent of subclinical ischemic brain lesions in Japanese adults. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord, 30, 479-485. DOI: 10.1159/000321049
2. Cheng, E. R., Poehlmann-Tynan, J., Mullahy, J., & Witt, W. P. (2014). Cumulative social risk exposure, infant birth weight, and cognitive delay in infancy. Acad Pediatr, 14(6), 581-588. DOI: 10.1016/j.acap.2014.06.012
3. Duncan, G. J., Dowsett, C. J., Claessens, A., Magnuson, K., Huston, A. C., Klebanov, P., et al. (2007). School readiness and later achievement. Dev Psychol, 43(6), 1428-1446. DOI: 10.1037/0012-1649.43.6.1428
4. Galera, C., Côté, S. M., Bouvard, M. P., Pingault, J. B., Melchior, M., Michel, G., et al. (2011). Early risk factors for hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattention trajectories from age 17 months to 8 years. Arch Gen Psychiatry, 68(12), 1267-1275. DOI: 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.138
5. Goh, D. A., Dong, Y., Lee, W. Y., Koay, W. I., Tay, S. Z., Soon, D., et al. (2014). A pilot study to examine the correlation between cognition and blood biomarkers in a Singapore Chinese male cohort with type 2 diabetes mellitus. PLoS One, 9(5), e96874. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096874
Conclusion
This rigorously conducted study emphasizes the importance of considering metabolic measures as potential predictors or early indicators of cognitive development issues in young children. As global prevalence rates of metabolic syndromes and diabetes continue to rise, understanding their influence on cognitive outcomes becomes crucial. Nutrition, exercise, and early intervention may therefore not only be important for physical health but also for safeguarding and enhancing cognitive functions during the critical years of brain development. This innovative study has set a precedent for further exploration into how metabolic health in childhood can shape cognitive trajectories and thereby impact future educational and socio-economic outcomes.